vray spawner as a service vs launching it

[cristoforo]

I have always had the vray spawner open automatically at the start of the computer. After just installing windows 7 I noticed the possibility of registering it as a service. Though, when I do this the buckets render without the materials. However, if I launch vray spawner then all renders fine.....though on windows 7 I cannot get the spawner to open automatically......some authorization problem I imagine?? Any else with this problem?

[VI_MOVE]

Same here. We have XP x64 on all the slaves still, but when the spawners are registered as services the slave-buckets don't pickup the textures. I have no idea why this is. If there is a way to get around that somehow I'd really greatly appreciate!
Right now, it is quite time consuming to restart or shutdown all slave machines - login via vnc, end spawner task, shutdown. If the service could be used instead, one could just press the power button to shutdown. The other way around if the spawner task is still running it won't shut down but freeze in the logoff process.

[thablanch]

The main advantage with service is that you can run it from a computer without the user knowing you are using his/her computer. You can also run the service as a different user, wich can be usefull for drives privileges.
For the missing maps, if you are working UNC paths, there should not be any problems.

[instinct]

usually this is a permission issue. The service by default runs as the "SYSTEM" user if i recall right. So in the services properties you need to set it to run as the user that is allowed
to access the textures (the gui user you use when launching the spawner manually i'd say).

Another advantage is automatic restarting upon crashes and alike for services.

Regards,
Thorsten

[glorybound]

The only way I ever got mine to work was have all my worksations named the same, using the same password. When I run the service I run it as that user. I just installed WIN 7 on my main workstation and the spawner didn't work until I renamed the workstation and logged in locally. Once I rename the new WIN 7 workstation as all the other ones, logging in locally, I am back in buisness.

[VI_MOVE]

Thanks for the quick replies!

The drive of the file server is mapped on all workstations and slaves with the same letter. So while using the spawner as a task everything is fine.

usually this is a permission issue. The service by default runs as the "SYSTEM" user if i recall right. So in the services properties you need to set it to run as the user that is allowed
to access the textures (the gui user you use when launching the spawner manually i'd say).

Very interesting. Do I set these options in in the windows services dialog (don't remember it's proper name)?

[instinct]

You find thise here :

Control-Panel->Administrative Tools -> Services -> find the spawner service -> rightclick properties -> run as

That's from the top of my head, but if i fubared it, it still should get you close

Regards,
Thorsten

[VI_MOVE]

Thanks again!

I'll give it a shot as soon as I find some time to test it.

Still I wonder about one thing: the slaves are automaticly logging in to the corresponding account (via TweakUI). If I'm right the drives will be mapped after the log-in. But wouldn't the spawner service start before log-in? And could the missing drives at the service initiation lead to missing textures as well?

Best,
Fritz

[VI_MOVE]

It works! Running the service on the right account and using UNC pathes do the trick.

But is there any easy way to change the pathes in existing scenes other than the bitmap/photometric pathes dialog?

Thanks in advance.

Best,
Fritz

[instinct]

You can use Asset Tracking and "Set Path"/"Set Common Root" in the right click menu